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Name of Line Between Westbury and Southampton Central!

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Dhassell

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Title says it all basically!
Does anyone know what the Line is called between Westbury and Southampton if it has route name, ie, Great Western Mainline.
 
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swt_passenger

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The Network Rail "Engineer's Line References" are of course completely different.

For example, heading south from Westbury you are on the 'Salisbury Branch' (SAL) then Basingstoke to Exeter (BAE), then Redbridge to Salisbury Tunnel Junction (RTJ), then the Bournemouth Main Line (BML2) and (BML1) to St Denys, then St Denys to Portcreek Junction (SDP1) and (SDP2), then the Woking to Portsmouth Harbour (WPH2). (I know the question was only about the section to Southampton, but I had too much time...)

Do NR even use terms such as 'Wessex Main Line' in any official sense?
 
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30907

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Apart from an unreferenced article on Wikipedia, a Google search doesn't throw up anything worthwhile.
I would never have considered the route as a main line, but as a cross country route. As swt_passenger points out, it is a combination of routes (though actually Eastleigh rather than Redbridge to Salisbury is the original), and till the mid 60s the handful of through trains changed engines at Salisbury.
 

glbotu

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I guess I meant printed encyclopedia.

(Sorry for US spelling - it takes time to liaise the letters).
 

freetoview33

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[citation needed] - Wikipedia is not a primary source.

A lot of wikipedia (especially what I personally add) is referenced, okay not this article.

And in a respect it was the main line through Wessex in years gone by. Now it is one of the only lines left.
 

Bedpan

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If somebody said "Wessex Line" to new I would have thought that they meant the line from Budmouth (Weymouth), through Casterbridge (Dorchester) , Chalk Newton (Maiden Newton) and Ivell (Yeovil) and on towards Westbury. After all, this line strikes up straight through the middle of Wessex, hence the Heart of Wessex Day Ranger covers this line and not the Melchester (Salisbury) to Southampton one. In fact I did not realise that Westbury - Southampton went through Wessex at all until I looked at a map, although it does go through the heart of the "Strong" country.
 

Mojo

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If somebody said "Wessex Line" to new I would have thought that they meant the line from Budmouth (Weymouth), through Casterbridge (Dorchester) , Chalk Newton (Maiden Newton) and Ivell (Yeovil) and on towards Westbury.
Isn't that known as the Heart of Wessex line?
 

Sacro

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I wouldn't use it as a source in an official document, but for the context of the question, it's fine

Really? Surely if someone asks a question on here they still want an answer backed up with some kind of evidence.
 

Mojo

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Really? Surely if someone asks a question on here they still want an answer backed up with some kind of evidence.
In most cases common knowledge is sufficient.
 

HowardGWR

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Isn't that known as the Heart of Wessex line?
Yes it is. Worldwide, Hardy's area is commonly accepted. So nowhere near Southampton and not particularly near Christchurch (for example).

In essence, it's the Chalk hills of Dorset and a little stretch towards Sherborne (The Woodlanders).

So indeed the Weymouth to Yeovil line does it, not Salisbury to Yeovil or Southampton.

Oops, forgot the Heath into Purbeck, how could I? (Red Face)
 
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Bedpan

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Isn't that known as the Heart of Wessex line?

Come to think of it, yes I think it is, so quite reasonable for it to be referred to as Wessex Line for short. I was quite surprised to see though, looking at Hardy's map of Wessex, that Southampton lies in Upper Wessex and Salisbury (assuming Melchester = Salisbury) is in Mid Wessex, as I would have defined Wessex as being the area described by HowardGWR.
 
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In the days of class 33 haulage, I seem to remember the paper destination labels had a logo of "Severn & Solent" on them....
 

cossie4i

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You are on the Western Region when you leave Westbury heading towards Warminster then it changes to the Southern Region.
 

Starmill

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In addition to FGW managed stations between Weymouth and Westbury, certain stations on the Westbury - Bristol route have 'Heart of Wessex Line' logos on their nameboards. I think Trowbridge was one, plus Bradford on Avon, Freshford and Avoncliff.

The science of Named Railway lines will forever be far from exact, and the boundaries are not set in stone. The best guides are the locals, the Commuity Rail organisations (up to whom it is often left to establish the use of the name) and NRE's somewhat patchy Named Railway Lines page.http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/46418.aspx
 
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HowardGWR

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You are on the Western Region when you leave Westbury heading towards Warminster then it changes to the Southern Region.

Depends on which time warp you are living in. I can remember Maiden Newton in SR colours. The two regions even changed the signals whenever they swapped 'ownership'. There is a contributor on here who is still living in such a time warp.:D

Incidentally, the line between Dorchester and Wareham, and across the Heath to Wimborne (if it had still existed) must be reckoned as part of Wessex, due of course to Hardy and Tess.
 
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Parallel

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In addition to FGW managed stations between Weymouth and Westbury, certain stations on the Westbury - Bristol route have 'Heart of Wessex Line' logos on their nameboards. I think Trowbridge was one, plus Bradford on Avon, Freshford and Avoncliff.

FGW have definitely started rolling out the 'Heart Of Wessex' logos on the new station name plates. They aren't at Trowbridge or Bradford On Avon's IIRC as these are older nameplates. Trowbridge's are fairly faded and I'm wondering if, along with the station revamp, new ones will soon appear. They are definitely at Avoncliff and Freshford though.

I've always referred to Westbury - Southampton as the Wessex Mainline although there is little physical evidence this is the name. Severn & Solent day rangers are valid on the line however.
 
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